Sweet Misery
by Ireadtomuch
Summary: The Deathly Hallows do not grant eternal life. To own all three hallows intentional or not is to die and have your soul bound in servitude to Spirit world. Who do I know this? I was Formerly known as Harry Potter.   This is SLASH!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Harry Potter if I did I would be rich, A bunch of people wouldn't have died in Harry Potter and Yu Yu Hakusho would have lasted longer.

Warnings for this chapter: Character 'death' and misery

Harry had finally completed his task in life. He had saved the world, though the majority of it never knew they had been in danger. To Harry that did not matter. Being hit with the killing curse, surviving once again then destroying Voldemort once again with his own back firing curse had taken its toll. Harry was dying. An hour into the celebrations and grieving he crumpled where he had been standing with Ron and Hermione. Hermione screamed for Madam Pomfrey and Ron cradled his best friend telling him to talk to him, trying to keep him conscious.

It was all in vain, Madam Pomfrey tearfully announced that Harry's magical core had been drained beyond the point of being able to be recharged, he had about an hour to live. While Harry's friends, and adopted family were heart broken they kept themselves together and surrounded Harry giving him comfort in his final hour. They reminisced about their days at Hogwarts, the twins pranks, about Sirius, Remus and all the other brave souls that fell in the war.

Harry called Kreature and gave him his thanks and his love, then gave him to Andromeda Black to help raise his god son Teddy. He dictated a will to Kingsley Shacklebolt.. The Black vaults and title went to Teddy Lupin, the Potter vaults were spilt up and given to the Weasleys, Neville, Luna and Hermione .

He told Hermione to use the money in his trust vault to start an organization for creature rights. Telling her he knew she would be great at anything she tried.

He told Ron to be the best Auror he could be and try his hardest in all he did. He also told him to tone down the victory dances after winning a game of chess as it scarred people for life. Which got a watery chuckle from all those surrounding him.

He told Luna to never change. To always believed in what she believed and to never let what people said bother her. He told her to use the money to search for new species of magical creatures including the crumple horned snorack.

He told Neville he was a true Gryffindor through and through. Telling him to never let anyone tell him other wise, and to follow his dreams. He asked Neville to give the sword of Gryffindor to the goblins per his agreement with Griphook, even though the Goblin betrayed him he kept his word. Neville would later give the sword and the memory of that conversation to the goblins.

He told George to use the money for his joke shop, and to make pranks to memorialize Fred, and others that had fallen in the war. Later that would culminate in various ingenious and marvelous pranks, like _**The 'Mad Eye' Spying Eye **_™ (great for spying on everything!) Which was banned from locker rooms and bathrooms, as it really did see through everything. And _**The colorful Tonks **_™, (Guaranteed to randomly change hair color based on emotions and randomly change nose shapes when laughing.!) James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Fred Weasley were remembered with a prank set called_** The Prank Kings Royal Treasury**_ ™ featuring pranks made by both the marauders and the twins. The box had everything from the portable swamp from the Weasley twins to the magical dummy ( a highly realistic decoy dummy that gave the prankster an alibi) courtesy of the marauders. The list went on and on.

He gave Mr. and Mrs. Weasley his love telling them both they were like parents to him. As he did to the rest of the Weasley family.

He could feel himself slipping. His grasp on the world fading and he told them one last time he loved them and told them good bye. They all tearfully hugged him and gave their love in return. Thus with a smile on his face and a peaceful expression Harry Potter died. The wizarding world mourned his passing deeply, but none more so than his friends. As per his wish he was given a simple burial beside his parents and wards placed around the tomb to protect it from desecration.

The wizarding world thought Harry had gone on to rest, and to receive his reward of peace in the next life. They had never been so wrong.

**What Really Happened After Harry's death***

Harry's soul stood beside the lifeless shell of his body smiling sadly at his friends and loved ones as they sobbed over his lifeless body. Though sad he was at peace. He was ready to move on to the next life, and be reunited with his loved ones that had passed on. He waited for death to come and collect him.

Death was not what one would expect. She had long blue hair pulled into a high pony tail with two long slightly curly locks trailing over her shoulders. She wore a light pink kimono with a pale blue obi. That in itself would have been surprising but what floored Harry was her demeanor. She was chipper. Flight attendant friendly, so bubbly she could float off the ground if she had a caporal body.

"Hi my name is Boton, the pilot of the River Styx, Head Ferry Girl of Spirit world... I believe you would call me the Grim Reaper." She said quite cheerfully with a smile on her face.

Had Harry been alive, or at least not floating he would have fallen over from shock. It took a few minuets for Harry to process what she had said and to take her seriously.

"Err right, I guess its time for me to move on then." Said Harry trying to get over the awkwardness of meeting the grim reaper, and her not so grim attitude.

"Normally yes it would be that simple, however since you managed to gain ownership of thee powerful objects created by King Enma who gave them to humans for some reason you're a special case' She said as chipper as ever and the smile on her face never fading.

Harry shrugged. Who was he to judge. All he wanted was to move on and be done with it. He was tired, all he wanted was to rest. He climbed on the oar and flew with Boton to spirit world. The oar ride cheered him up enough that when he arrived he was grinning from ear to ear. Boton would have made a great quiddich player.

Normally when people entered the gate of judgment no matter how they lived they were scared. Harry as usual was an anomaly in this. He was at peace fully accepting his death and was fully prepared to face a judgment of his life.

He did not expect to see a toddler sitting behind the desk, but did not comment of it, as most people would. Nor did he laugh at the sight of 'The Great Prince Koenma' He simply dipped his head a little and stood before the desk waiting in respectful silence for Koenma to speak.

Before that could happen however the doors burst open. "What's the big idea summoning us here pacifier breath we just got done with a case damn it! If you've called me in for a job you can forget it!" Yelled a teen with slicked back hair.

"Yusuke show some respect to Lord Koenma!" Yelled Boton braining him over the head with her oar.

Harry watched with bemusement at the scene before him. The shrugging he turned back to Koenma.

"If you have a previous appointment Sir I can step out and wait for my judgment a while longer" Said Harry not wanting to be a bother.

"Nonsense! He is here in regards to your case!" Said Koenma hopping up on his desk and signaling Jorge the ogre to get out a scream and projector.

Harry like the other four in the room just looked quizzically at each other, or in the short black haired person's case Hn'd and leaned against the door looking board.

Koenma sat down behind his desk and straightened his paper work.

" Now Mr. Harry James Potter, you lived an astounding life." started off Koenma giving Harry an approving look.

"With how you grew up one would expect nothing but hatred from you towards others but you never could never bring yourself to hate the very people who hurt you. An astounding feat" Said Koenma pointing towards the screen, which to Harry's horror was showing his life from day one.

It showed everything, even things he had never told Ron and Hermione about the Dursley's. All they knew about was the cupboard and the bars on his windows, and his unhappiness there. He had never told them of the vicious beatings, the starvation, the mental, verbal and emotional abuse he faced there every day. Harry had to turn his head to the side at one point showing his four year old self having his hand pressed against a hot stove for burning the bacon.

"Stop, please" whispered Harry shaking violently while trying in vain not to hear his child self scream in pain.

"I apologize Harry, I was merely trying to make a point, you received nothing but pain for ten years, and months out of every summer. Not to mention your own fickle people who hailed you their savior one minuet and called you an insane lair the next! You could have easily turned that into hatred, and corrupted your soul to the core, instead you turned it into an astounding capacity for love.

In fact the only thing I can fault you for was a failed attempt to use the torture curse on one Bellatrix Lestrange after she murdered your godfather in front of you. And you even felt bad for it afterwards, though you said nothing about it." Said an astonished Koenma. He had never seen such a pure soul that had grown its whole life in the face of adversity.

"The fact of the matter is if it weren't for a complication due to three artifacts you happened to pick up in life you'd already be in the same eternal paradise as your parents. As it is you did pick up three artifacts my father gave to your kind a thousand years ago. While he told them they would give eternal life and 'master death' it was a blatant false hood." He murmured looking up at Harry with sorrowful eyes.

"The fact that you picked these up by chance, and purposefully lost one in a dangerous area where no one could find it, and the other you placed back from where it was stolen from… add to that the purity of your life and soul I really hate to tell you this… those items were made to get back at one Nickolas Flamel, He made a stone that could delay his death infinitely so my father in retaliation made the so called deathly hallows to drive wizards to kill each other for the chance of eternal life. Only who ever gained ownership of all three items either willingly or not would die and become the property of the spirit world." Whispered Koenma sadly not able to meet Harry's eye.

Harry was stunned. The items he had inadvertently gained the allegiance of had not only killed him but their powers had bound him into servitude in the after life as well. Harry's knees gave out from under him. All the years of pain and hatred he had born with grace, of the love he had found, of the loved ones he had lost and hoped to be reunited with in death weighed heavily on him in that moment. Harry didn't care about the audience that was watching him, he didn't care about anything in that moment. What he had just been told was close to breaking him.

"Y-you mean to tell me that what I felt when I was dying was the hallows magic binding me into slavery in the next life" He whispered, though all in the room heard it any way.

"Yes," Koenma said sadly. "The items were created to bind the soul in life so there is no chance at escape I am sorry Harry, but until my father decided to release you or I am given full charge of the spirit world so I can release you, you will be unable to crossover. And to be frank it's likely that neither way out will ever happen."

Harry could no longer keep back the ghostly tears that fell from his face. Instead of reward he received eternal slavery until the seemingly tyrannical King Enma released his soul. Harry clenched his fists in anger. It seemed that even in death fate refused to release her favorite play thing.

"The good thing is that you'll be under my command for the time being, so you won't be forced into any more humiliation than you are now. I'm going to make you a human body, with a different appearance of course, I'll still make you look like your parents though. It's the best that I can do, but you'll serve spirit would with the Spirit Detective once your body is complete. I'll also set up an identity and a place to live for you. I am sorry but this is all I can do." Whispered Koenma.

Normally Harry would have yelled and protested, but he could see how broken Koenma was by this like he was. The look on Koenma's face was similar to when Harry saw proof of his father being a bully not the saintly man he had thought. Harry could not bring himself to yell at the junior god. Instead he slowly nodded and stood and allowed a very sober Boton to lead him to his temporary quarters in the palace.

What his new life would bring only time could tell…


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own Harry Potter or Yu Yu Hakusho

Sweet Misery Chapter Two

Harry sat despondently in his temporary room in the palace. The events of the last forty eight hours had over whelmed him, and that was while he was living. The events since his death had nearly broken him. As it was he was on the edge of breaking completely. He gave a hollow laugh thinking of what the wizarding world would say knowing their savior was nearly shattered at the news of his enslavement. No doubt they would have expected him to fight tooth and nail and emerge victorious over gods. What fools.

While Harry knew for certain hat the general public would think and say he refused to think of his friends. He knew what their reaction would be: Storm Spirit World and wreak havoc until he was released. His heart clenched painfully even with the knowledge of what his friends would do. He would only ever see them again before their final judgment and then would have to bid them farewell. He could not join them until released from this hell he had found himself in.

Were he not already dead and thus prevented from doing so he would have taken his life by now. Harry already knew what a slaves like was like.. He had after all been a slave to his relatives in life, and to some people in the wizarding world he had been nothing more than a weapon to obey its master's orders. Though he knew this form of slavery would be ever changing. Koenma was putting him on the spirit detective team to preserve his dignity and give him a semblance of what freedom he could have.

If Enma decided to claim him he would have to go. Harry really didn't want to know how horrible eternal slavery could be, but he had little choice. The magic of the hallows forcibly made him comply with every order given by any member of the spirit world royal family. Hopefully there weren't any more of them other than Enma and Koenma.

As it was he had not moved since the day before. All he did was sit on the floor gazing out the window over looking the pink skied gateway to the after life. It was as if all life ,figuratively of course, and energy had been drained from him. He couldn't even muster the strength to wipe away the occasional tear that pooled and fell unbidden from his eye.

Like a puppet with his strings cut Harry felt he no longer had any choice but to serve the purpose he had been forced to take since his death. Silently cursing Enma for his cruelty, as well as cursing Flamel for creating the damned stone which had caused Enma's wrath to fall on him so many centuries later.

Though even with all his grief and pain Harry could not bring himself to hate. This was how he coped with the pain in life, and now his death brought him. Hate never served him a purpose, all it did was made him feel worse. Sometimes Harry thought it might have been a flaw in his spiritual make up. He could not hate. Not only because he did not want to, but it was impossible for him to hold on to any hate. The harder he clawed and grasp at it the quicker it slipped through his fingers. He could not even bring himself to hate Voldemort who had tried his best and nearly succeeded many times to utterly destroy his life. What he felt for Tom Riddle was pity. The once man was a poor wretched creature who's hatred for those who had hurt him had rendered him incapable of love.

To be incapable of love was to feel nothing but the darker and painful side of the emotional rainbow. All you could feel with out love was hate, rage, and jealousy . You could not feel sorrow for you had no kind thought towards anything. At most you could covet something. You could only feel fleeting joy when something you wanted to happen did happen. Harry knew this first hand. As soon as Voldemort felt joy it disappeared.

Harry at times wondered if all his hate, even if his ability to hate had subconsciously been sent down the link to Voldemort never to return. It would certainly explain why he had lost the capacity to hate anyone or anything.

It seemed Harry would have an eternity to ponder these questions that now refused to leave his mind, but for the time being they would have to leave. There was a knock on the wood of the rice paper screen doors that led to his room. Harry did not respond, instead he just barely manage to gather the will power to turn his head towards the door which was now sliding open to reveal a very somber looking Boton.

Gone was the chipper perpetually smiling not very grim reaper from yesterday. In her place was a forlorn reaper wishing with all her being to not have to carry out the task given her. It was such a one eighty from the chipper reaper from yesterday that, though he had just met her, Harry could not let her continue to look as if the world was at an end. He managed a small sad smile and stood for the first time in two days and made his way over to her. Harry held out his hand to help her up from the kneeling position she had opened his door in.

"Its not your fault. You have your job to carry out. I don't resent you for this." He managed in a soft voice as he helped her to her feet.

Boton for a moment looked like she would burst into tears before gathering herself and motioning Harry to follow her. Their destination was a room with what looked like a giant fish tank. Inside was what Harry assumed was his new body. He couldn't help but feel a slight hint of amusement inside at the science fiction like way his new body had been 'grown'. As his new body was being fished out, dried and dressed in a yukata Harry took a moment to study his new body.

It was still the same stunted height he had been when he was alive. The body had mid back length curly black hair that looked like spun silk. The skin was milky pale, and the body altered to look partially Japanese. The facial structure was that of his mother. He would probably look feminine with the new androgynous features of the body. Harry could attest to the fact that should he run into a friend from his old life they would not recognize him even if he were to run over them. He didn't have time to dwell on his new body any more as he was told to lay on top on (meaning sink into) the body. Harry did so vaguely wondering what was going to happen next.

A person Harry had never seen before came into the room with a calligraphy brush and what looked like an old fashioned pot full of ink. Harry didn't have long to take the strange scene in before the yukata was pulled above his new body's ankles and strange symbols being drawn on them in ink. The same thing was done to his wrists and around the neck of his new body. He was told by the person not to move from the body.

Shortly after a very forlorn looking Koenma came in the room. Harry could have sworn that the god looked twenty times older than his current teenaged form did. Koenma stood over his new body and removed the pacifier he had in his mouth, toughing the handle to the new body's heart.

For a split second there was nothing but pain in Harry's world, then a feeling of heaviness. That made Harry's thoughts freeze. As a ghost he had not been able to feel anything. A sense of heaviness was something. Then it clicked. His soul was in the new construct. It look him a minuet but Harry managed to sit up. Slowly he opened the body's… HIS new eyes. He could see with such clarity that he was sure Koenma had given him vision more enhanced than the average humans.

Slowly Harry turned his head to a sad looking Koenma his gaze questioning.

"Since there was nothing I could do to give you your freedom, and believe me the past two days I personally went through every record on the items, I gave you a special body. It is a mixture of human and demon. Its much more durable than your old one, heals very quickly and all your senses are at a optimum demon level. I also took your amazing human agility and speed and gave you the demon equivalent. Those markings on your wrists, ankles and neck bind you to servitude to spirit world. I made them as small as I could so they would not be blaringly obvious. They can't be seen by those with slow spirit energy. So the majority of humans won't know your status, and those who can only tell if they can read the mixture of demon and sprit world runes I wrote them in. I am sorry there was nothing more that I can do." Said Koenma seemingly aging again before his eyes.

Harry couldn't help but feel a mixture of gratitude and sympathy for Koenma in that moment. He settled on giving his new 'owner' a put on the shoulder as h cautiously got to his feet and tested his balance. It looked like he'd need a few hours to get used to walking again.

"You'll be assisting on your first assignment tomorrow. You Won't be fighting on this mission as you need to get used to the demon fighting abilities I gave you first. However you'll be going as a healer since I gave you all the healing knowledge of I could. Those powers are up and running now. For the other powers I'm going to stick you with Hiei and Kurama to teach you to harness those. Ill send you with Boton tomorrow to deliver the mission to Yusuke. For now I am going to give you basic knowledge on the new alias I set up for you." said Koenma handing Harry a stack of paper and sending him to some place called the memory department.

Thus Harry became Tanaka Sora. A 15 year old orphan who lived with his grandmother Genki at her shrine. He was home schooled, but ran errands for his grandmother that often took him to the area around Tokyo and worked part time for a shrine keeper. Who's shrine was conveniently located exactly between Kurama's school and Yusuke's school.. And a block away from the arcade for when Yusuke skipped class.

When Sora as Harry was now called, asked about this so called grandmother, he was old that Genki was an elderly psychic who at times helped spirit world and had agreed to house him and adopt him legally so he had tracks in the human world.

So Harry Potter, now Tanaka Sora had a new life. One completely separate from his old one. Even in the grasps of servitude Sora couldn't help but look forward to a fresh start. He was no longer Harry Potter, and could never be so again. Sora had a blank slate free from the stain of the stigmata The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Maybe just maybe this would be a happier life for him…..

AN: I hope you enjoyed this albeit short chapter! The next chapter Boton takes Sora to Yusuke and they Genki for different reasons! Yusuke to enter her tournament and Sora to take his place as her grandson!

For those of you people who only saw then Anime in Dub like I first saw it as a young teenager

Enma was in the English version of the anime called King Yama. IN the original version it was King Enma.

Koenma is Enma's son.

Ko means child To put it before Enma is saying he is Enma's son Ko + Enma = Child of Enma


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Yu Yu Hakusho all rights belong to their respective owners

And Special thanks to Barrel of Monkeys : Who has inspired me in many ways and with out whom I would be stuck on how to give Sora more screen time. Its also thanks to her that I found my inner Genki who loves for me to write tongue lashings

Also the pairing also thanks to Barrel of Monkeys in Jin/Sora! She had never seen nor read Yu Yu Hakusho and red this story on a whim…. I have converted her to the YYH fandom… and created a Jin fan

-I am the great and powerful line break- _ - And I the evil monkey sidekick-

Sora followed behind Yusuke as he climbed the stairs feeling faint amusement as Yusuke swore up a storm about temple stairs and asking how the hell Boton gotten him to go to the temple.

"Prime tickets to the Tokyo Dome" replied Sora to Yusuke question, amused that Yusuke could for get that so easily and only an hour after the fact.

Even more amusing to Sora was while Yusuke the big tough spirit detective was sweating bullets just climbing the stairs, he was unaffected. Sora wondered if that was part of his new body's modifications, or from running from Dudley then climbing stairs constantly for six years, followed by a year on the run. Either way he was perfectly fine and Yusuke looked like was going to fall down dead on the stairs.

Sora stifled a giggle with his hand as Yusuke continued to swear up a storm. It reminded so much of Ron. It was bitter sweet for him, to be near some one so like his best friend, and yet so different. The joy of the memories with his friend mixed with the painful clenching of his heart. Sora did not weather he could laugh or cry.

Finally they reached the top on the inanely long flight of stairs. Before Yusuke could open the gate to enter the temple Sora placed a hand on his arm stopping him. Causing Yusuke to turn around to look at him.

"Remember you have to make it long enough to discover Rando and capture him. Someone will pick him up from Spirit world. I will enter ten minutes after you. Remember we don't know each other. I am Genki's grandson and we have never met." Said Sora with a serious look.

"Yeah yeah, I got it, sheesh you people think I can't remember anything!" Grumbled Yusuke entering the temple.

Sora kindly didn't mention his reminding Yusuke why he consented to come here again conversation not five minutes ago. After the allotted time Sora had given himself entered the temple grounds and by passed all the people who were gathered in the courtyard. He wasted no time entering the side door that he had been instructed to enter earlier by Boton. Upon entering he saw the great psychic herself drinking some tea. He walked right up to the woman who matched the picture he had been shown of Genki. The small, smaller than his 5'2" height, grayish pink haired psychic was everything the picture had shown. Luckily due to her shortness it wasn't inconceivable that her descendants would be tiny as well.

"I'm home grandmother," said Sora in a soft voice. Genki glanced discreetly at him, most likely taking in his appearance and testing that his energy matched the sample she'd been given to make sure he was who he said he was.

"Well at least you have a semblance of politeness. It won't be a total pain in the ass to have you live here." Snarked Genki a smirk on her face.

Sora having already been warned about her personality smiled. This was as close to endearment as he would get from the old curmudgeon. He adopted a teasing smile.

"True but don't forget whatever bozo wins this competition will be living here as well for your training." He teased.

Genki snorted and muttered something about Sora being not a complete loss as she drained the last of here tea and stood.

"Ring the gong for me nice and loud to get the attention of those lemmings out there for me, join me in greeting them, then brew up a big pot of tea with two glasses, I like refreshments during my torture sessions." This last part was said with a sadistic grin as she motioned towards a large gong in the corner of the room.

A few moments after he rang the gong Genki stepped on a button that opened two of the rice paper screen doors at once.

"My my what a crowd" She said the room causing her voice to echo impressively.

Sora had to stifle a giggle at the awed looks on people's faces from that alone.

Slowly Genki appeared from the shadows, discreetly motioning for Sora to follow a few steps behind her. To the people gathered in the courtyard it was a little anti climatic, to see a tiny old woman followed by a short young and quite feminine looking man who's stance behind her showed his deference towards the old woman.

"All right people I suppose we should get things started." Said Genki her face not moving from the emotionless mask she had set since the door opened.

The muttering in the crowd grew. They were convinced that the tests Genki was going to give would be excruciatingly hard.

"The First of your screening tests will be… the drawing of lots"

This caused an uproar. Sora had to fight to keep his face passive as his inner self has falling over with laughter. As all the competitors fell over with shock.

Genki motioned for Sora to lift an antique looking jar and hold it out towards the crowd.

"Everyone must take a lot from the jar come on now, we haven't all day." She said in a deceptively passive tone. One would think she was a demure elderly lady rather than the old sadist she really was.

Slowly people got to their feet and headed over to Sora drawing lots from the jar he held.

Once everyone had drawn a lot Sora put the jar down as Genki advanced a little further onto the porch than before standing just at the top of the wooden stairs.

"You did fairly well. I am impressed. Let's all open our lots now. If your paper is red then congratulations you've passed the first of today's screenings."

Both Genki and Sora watched with blank faces as the men in the courtyard opened the packets the lots were in. Soon noises of elation, disappointment and fury broke out all over the courtyard.

"Those who won please follow me, those who lost please get lost" Said Genki as she Turned to lead the way, Sora turning to follow her after she had taken a few steps.

Genki turned to Sora and smirked. He smiled back. Genki had given him a slip of paper before the event giving him an outline of the tests so he would know which ones he might be required to heal people after. Sora knew full well that the simple 'drawing of lots' was to test if they even had the basic amount of spirit energy needed to be trained. Spirit energy sensitive paper was a quick, easy, and painless method to weed out those with no chances.

Suddenly two huge men came up behind Genki and Sora, looks of outrage marring their faces.

"Hold on!" Yelled one.

"Huh?" Replied Genki turning around to look at the brutish men behind her and Sora.

"We're the two most powerful fighters of all the Kyuyo Mountain People!" Said the second.

"We came all this way because we heard you could make us greater! You can't turn us away with a piece of paper!" Yelled the first

"Do you not see how big we are? You have to give us a fair shot!" Demanded the other.

"The only difference with larger fighters is that they are louder when hey whine. Can't you block heads understand I'm just trying to save you from embarrassment!" Said a now grumpy Genki once her ear had stopped ringing.

"I'm warning you!" Yelled the first while the second growled.

"This Probably goes way beyond your comprehension boys, but please try to pay attention. If you're really ready for my training then why didn't your paper turn red?"

"I think she's asking us for more proof!" Said the second as the first growled. They launched themselves towards Genki to attack.

Genki didn't even move, All they did was yell as she pushed her spirit energy from her body hurling the two men away from her and into the doors on the other side of the courtyard. The men had nearly gone clean through the wood. As was it was the boards would still have to be replaced due to the splintering.

Needless to say the men were knocked out on impact. The men, both those who won and those who lost, looked on in shocked awe at the power the elder psychic held.

"Wow my powers are getting a bit rusty, A few years ago those oafs would have ducked their heads if I winked at them wrong. Ha I guess I'm really getting old." Said Genki turning to lead the winners to the next area, "Alright you red papers please follow me. Sora go make me pot of tea."

"Yes Baa-sama"* replied Sora entering another door and closing it behind him while Genki led the winners of the first screening to the next area.

In no time at all, partially due to Sora being able to use what tiny amount of his slowly returning magic* he had to boil water for the tea, he had a large pot of tea and two glasses ready and under a warming charm as he hurried to the next screening area: Video games that tested Spirit energy. Sora couldn't stop the smile that spread over Genki was something else.

When he entered the room the contestants were already playing the games not knowing that these games weren't the ideas of a senile old woman, but complex systems she had modified to measure the potential apprentices' abilities. Every game was meant to measure a certain ability granted by spirit energy. Sora entered shortly after Genki gave the instructions on which games to play, and what they represented with their spit energy. Needless to say Sora by passed all of it and sat at a table watching the hopefuls and keeping track of the scores.

Sora watched as the more psychically inclined all crowded around the punching machine; some were dismayed at how little the number was. Others crowded around the Jaken machine. The one who seemed to be the best at that was a tall red haired boy that Yusuke called Kuwabara.

As it was Yusuke scored a 155 at the punching Machine while Kuwabara scored a 129. However Kuwabara got the highest score on Jaken while Yusuke had only an average score.

Despite that they were not shoe ins to win. There was a man about a decade older than them who scored a 179 on the punching game, And a Monk with an absolutely terrible voice got the high score on karaoke scoring a perfect 100. Finally the fifty or so hopefuls were slimed down to the twenty most powerful. Those twenty passed the second screening test and were taken to the third challenge.

The real test wouldn't begin until after that. Everything else up to the third challenge were made to separate those with potential from those who while they had some power had no hope.

The third challenge was a run. Not just your basic couple mile run though. The contestants had to run threw a forest that had an aura more intense than the forbidden forest at Hogwarts. This was due to the number of low level demons who inhabited the forest. Their oppressive aura would render those who were weaker unable to think straight and some would be unable to move. Luckily the majority of the demons knew not to eat humans who entered the woods, they knew Genki would punish them if they did. One demon however Baldock would not hesitate to eat a human who crossed into his territory.

"Now that the weak have been eliminated the tests will be far more severe" Said Genki dropping her passive old Lady mask and starting to let her true self shine through.

Sora as per usual was standing a respectful couple feet behind her. Soon he would be needed to heal the wounds that would culminate from these tests and he would be introduced. He was sure Genki would kill the desire to whine before it even started.

"Master it seems the forest has a life force of its own." Said a small monk staring at the forest warily.

"Yes, to say the least. The forest is called the dark forest and its as old as the human race itself. It has become a sanctuary for the oldest and most primitive demons.' Genki started adopting an almost sadistic grin, "On the other side of the forest is a giant tree, make it there in two hours and you pass the test."

After this speech a couple of the hopefuls ran away in fear causing Genki to break into laughter.

"Yes run along I don't blame you." She said laughing, "Even the person with the slightest spirit awareness can feel that this forest will tear you into pieces if you let it."

"There is truth to what this woman says." Said the man with the scared face who had scored the high score on the punching machine. "Only those who have gone through training should go into these woods. This is no place for a boy for instance." The last part was obviously meant as a jab to Yusuke and his friend. Sora could tell it wasn't directed at him since as of yet he had not shown any inclination to join the competition. Sora would not join, but once they knew he was Genki's grandson he could receive some hostility, even though Genki would make it clear he was not in the running to be her apprentice.

"Speak for yourself. I'm not about to get scared by a walk through Granma's forest!" Boldly declared Yusuke.

"Watch your mouth you damn little brat!" Yelled Genki incensed at Yusuke's dismissive remark.

Yusuke however didn't listen. He walked up to the older and taller scarred man. "You're just trying to scare me off so I won't learn Genki's power instead of you! Is that the big plan?" accused Yusuke. Then Yusuke did the unexpected… and incredibly stupid "Hey you wouldn't happen to be a monster in disguise would you?"

It was official Yusuke was not the brightest star in the sky.

Kuwabara grabbed Yusuke's shoulder. "If you're going to do this run then so am I!"

Yusuke Glared at him. "Stop getting so excited its embarrassing"

Genki interrupted anything else that was going to be said with, "Good Luck I hope you don't die! Ready Set Go!"

And the contestants were off.

"I'll be waiting for you by the tree. If your smart you'll use your spirit awareness to find the fastest way there! Good Bye!" Shouted Genki as she ran off.

Sora did not run into the forest. Genki had before had given him a picture of the tree in question and Sora just apperated with the full tea kettle and tea cup to the tree in question. This was shaping into a good mission so far. Yusuke had gotten through every thing so far, and he was with his adoptive grandmother and on hand to heal any injuries caused by Rando… That is if things went according to plan. There still was the very real possibility that Rando could get the upper hand as Yusuke had no training just raw talent.

Genki arrived about ten minutes after Sora had. He poured her a cup of steaming tea as she took a seat. Genki spared him a glance.

"Normally competing or not I would have you running in there as well. The fact of the matter is you know how to fight but with your new body you are unable to access your energy save for the healing ability. Your lucky Koenma thought of that, having you being able to harness both spirit, and demonic energy right off the bat without training would be dangerous. You'd most likely destroy your new body in a heartbeat. But Once this is over I am going to give you basic instruction and you will get it down!" Finished Genki in a hard voice. Making sure that in no uncertain terms should Sora expect special treatment.

"Yes Baa-sama" Intoned Sora giving her a small smile. He really did like her up front nature. This way Sora practically had a guarantee that she wouldn't manipulate him. Possibly beat him into a pulp not but not manipulate him.

After the mini confrontation, Sora and Genki started talking and generally getting to know one another., They found about an hour in that they genuinely liked one another though neither would admit it out loud as of yet. They had a lot in common even if they handled things differently. They could both see why Koenma decided to put Sora with Genki.. They could quite easily become a true family.

A little past an hour into the third round Genki stood and stretched out her awareness to check on the progress of the candidates.

"The closest one is five hundred yards away" Said Genki.

"Should I have some tea ready for them Baa-sama?" Asked Sora amused as she sent the images of the candidates location to him via a neutral form of legilimency.

Genki cackled. "Serving those poor souls who have run through the dark forest for over an hour a steaming hot cup of tea? Why not! Just make it extra hot!" Said Genki a partially sadistic smirk on her face.

Sora laughed as well. He wouldn't deny the contestants a drink but he really didn't want to mess with his new grandmother's contest… plus it would be funny to see their reactions to hot tea plain and simple.

A while later, and many refilling and heating charms off the tea later, there were only fifteen minutes left in the test.

" I do hope I remember the stragglers after the test" said a smirking Genki.

"If you don't they'll make good fertilizer for the forest" Commented Sora earning a dark chuckle from Genki.

Sora's friends from his former life would have been shocked at his behavior, but Sora had fought in a war, died and been forced into slavery, while his soul was still pure, as Koenma annoyingly commented on every time he was him, He did acquire a darker sense of humor. It was the same with Genki, she had a very pure soul for someone her age, but the things she had witnessed and the pain of life had also culminated in a dark sense of humor as well.. Along with sadistic tendencies while training. If Yusuke did win the tournament Sora just knew he would avoid Genki like the plague for a long while after. Some of Genki's training methods were brutal.

Shortly after Sora made his remark, the first person appeared at the tree. It was Kuwabara.

"Hello Boy" greeted Genki while Sora poured him a cup of tea. From a conjured tea mug.

"Am I really the first one here? Really?" Asked an amazed Kuwabara.

Genki smiled and nodded and Kuwabara cheered. Once he calmed down Sora stood and smiled. "Kuwabara-san would you like to have a seat and have a cup of tea?" He asked politely.

"Oh umm Sure! Thanks a Bunch!" Said Kuwabara flopping down and taking the mug from Sora still grinning broadly.

Shortly after, the monk followed, and closely after him the heavily scarred man appeared and Sora also offered them both a cup of tea which the monk politely accepted with a nod of thanks, while the scared man waved him off. Though after that the politeness ended.

"I thought for sure we'd be the first ones here" Said the monk glaring at Kuwabara

"We let ourselves have too much fun in there" Replied the Scarred man smirking at Kuwabara in a superior way.

"Please let the hostilities end for now" Interrupted Sora before things could get any further. While making it this far is good Baa-sama still has more obstacles for you ahead it would be wise to rest while you are able." Said Sora in a friendly but warning tone that had the trio settling down at once.

Fourteen minutes later and Sora was worried. Yusuke had yet to appear. One more minute and he would be disqualified. A minute later Sora's worse case scenario came to pass.

"Times up! Looks like only you seven pass" Stated Genki.

"Wait there should be one more guy coming!" Said Kuwabara

"I'm sorry I never make acceptations." Stated Genki

Sora was not looking forward to informing Koenma that Yusuke had lost when Yusuke voice was heard. Still he was too late.

"Wait for me!"

"Urameshi!" cried Kuwabara

"You know suddenly I'm reminded of a fortune cookie that said the straight way is not always the fastest." complained Yusuke.

Genki's face changed to one of shock. "But listen boy, surely you did not go straight through the dark forest! You would have faced a lethal man bat!"

"What you mean Baldock? Yeah he was hanging out with me for a while. That guy was fast, but not nearly as fast as Hiei. I took care of him real good you'll see!" Laughed Yusuke.

"Don't you see you have no reason to laugh idiot? You went over the time limit!" Yelled Kuwabara grabbing Yusuke by the front of his shirt.

"What is that true?" Yelled Yusuke

"It seems that I will make an exception" Said Genki clearly impressed with Yusuke.

With that Genki and Sora turned and led the remaining competitors to the next part of the test. A couple miles walk and another set of stone steps later took them to yet another remote building where the fourth part of the test would take place.

Once they reached their destination, Genki paused out side of a heavily fortified looking door and turned to the apprentice candidates.

"From here on you can forget about sympathy from me and my grandson! There will be no whining and we really don't care if you get hurt. If you're still alive at the end of this test then Sora will heal your wounds. Not before." Yelled Genki.

Eyes of the crowd turned to Sora, who ignored them in favor of opening the heavy doors.

Genki continued on as if she had never once paused. "The final part will be a tournament between the eight of you until only one of you is standing. You will fight until your opponent is dead or incapacitated! I don't care which, And don't even think about whining about favoritism! My grandson is not in the running as my apprentice so you even try to bring it up and your gone." Yelled Genki walking into the doors Sora had opened moments ago.

After Genki and the competitors entered the room Sora closed the door not following them in. He had a call to make to Koenma. Pulling out the ridiculous pink compact that served as a video phone line to spirit world Sora discreetly opened it. The scene opened to show Koenma at his desk enjoying some of the many snacks he had had Sora make him before he left for the human world.

"Oh Sora nice to see you. Thanks for these snacks again. I don't know what I'd do without you since SOMEONE refused to run to the kitchen to get me more snacks." Said Koenma glaring at Jorge the ogre.

"I didn't want to miss the show." Whined a tearful Jorge. Muttering something about his mother and his job.

Before any more banter could break out between the two Sora interrupted.

"There hasn't been any sighting of Rando yet Lord Koenma, but he is defiantly here. He is taunting me. He will for a split second release a tiny bit of demonic aura only to hide it again. Since I have no training in my spirit and demon energies yet I can't tell who its coming from." Explained Sora with a frustrated look on his face.

"Well I can promise you he is there Sora. Rando would not pass up an opportunity like this. But I can't give you a fix on his location as all the demonic energy surrounding Genki's temple and its land interferes with out detections." Said Koenma looking put out even as he popped a tart into his mouth.

"Demonic energy? The only demonic energy I have felt so far came from that forest." Said Sora confused.

"Well that is a large part of it but there are other areas as well. Genki has a lot of land. Several hundred miles of rural land that has not been often touched by human hands. Several of these areas are ancient battle fields where both humans and demons fought to the death. The demonic souls and wrathful human spirits that refuse to pass over interfere with our radar in locating specific demon energies. Not to mention that Genki lets demons inhabit some of the more remote areas of her land, its practically a tracking nightmare up there."

"Then why did you sent Yusuke with the demon compass?" Asked an annoyed Sora.

"Ogre I told you to tell Boton not to let Yusuke use that! Now it has to be repaired!"

Sora sighed and shut the compact as the constant bickering between Koenma and Jorge the ogre started up once again. Sora was starting to wonder if the universe would collapse if those two every stopped bickering.

Sora was in the process of coming back to the building when he saw Boton informing Yusuke about another fighter's ability and its similarities to his spirit gun. Shortly after Kuwabara ran out after him screaming about how Yusuke couldn't run out on him, and after seeing Boton yelling about how Keiko was supposed to be his girlfriend.

It was when Boton summoned her oar and was floating on it when Kuwabara yelled 'I think she might be a witch' that Sora let himself be known.

"I can assure you she is not a witch." He said flatly looking at Kuwabara like he was an idiot.

"How would you know? She's floating on an oar! She's gotta be witch!" yelled back Kuwabara.

Boton giggled. "Sora would know because he was once a wizard and still has a small amount of his magical powers.

That caused Kuwabara to look at Sora like he had grown three heads. Sora smirked in a manner that was reminiscent of one seen on Genki.

"You don't need to be afraid of me Kuwabara, But Boton there is the Grim Reaper."

The spooked reaction Sora was expecting was ruined when Yusuke interrupted.

"Yeah and she's my assistant as spirit detective!"

"Spirit detective?" Asked Kuwabara.

While Yusuke gave Kuwabara a short and simple answer Sora has giving Boton a mug of tea and a stick of dango, one of the sticks had had originally made for Koenma.

"Thanks Sora its been a busy day. On Top of my assistant duties I've had to go gather up souls as well. You will be happy to know that Umbridge died and was sentenced to limbo for her crimes in life," chattered Boton unconcerned of the small smirk that had spread over Sora's face, and completely missing the bounce in his step that would be there for the next month.

The conversation was interrupted when Kuwabara walked up to Boton.

"As for you…" he began, his eyes large and shining.

'Why are you staring at me like that?" Asked Boton as Kuwabara grabbed her hands.

"Beautiful Lady will you be my wife?" He asked not noticing the smoldering cigarette that had landed on his shoulder. "I'm a strong and fearless man and I'll be good to you."

It was only after that that he noticed the cigarette on his shoulder. Which caused a manly shriek , and a lot of smacking and blowing on this shoulder once the cigarette was dislodged.

Genki was standing out side the open door. "Are you boys happy with disqualification? If so stay where you are."

With that Yusuke, Boton and Kuwabara ran in while Sora walked in at a leisurely pace, a newly made pot of tea in his hand. Sora had learned long ago, to always have something on hand to look like you were either busy or not responsible for any mischief that may have occurred in your absence. This while on the phone with Koenma he had been making tea and snagged a couple sweet rice cakes for Genki. Better safe than sorry after all. Luckily it got him off scot-free this time as Genki swiped a rice cake and poured herself more tea.

Before going in however Genki stopped him.

"So he's Koenma's boy?" It was said more like a statement than a question.

Sora gave a slight nod of the head.

"I didn't know I was attracting celebrities." Said Genki as they walked into the room, and Sora closed the doors behind them.

They were in time to see Shoran vs. Shuu the wanderer. From the stats they were very evenly matched, but the fight was much to quick for that to be true. If they were as closely matched at their stats indicated the fight should have gone on much longer. As it was it didn't even last two minutes. Shoran's modest statement about it being too close set alarm bells off in his head. Though at this time he could not say for certain if Shorin was Rando or if he was pretending to be weaker than he was so as to have an advantage.

Kuwabara's fight against a one eyed swords man however took a fairly long time and from what Sora could sense with his limiting amount of spirit awareness Kuwabara was getting his ass handed to him. All thanks to his opponents ability to mask his energy. Which virtually made him invisible to Kuwabara in the dark as he couldn't follow it.

Things went from bad to worse when the man he was fighting pulled out a purified wooden sword which the man channeled his spirit energy through, giving the wooden sword an edge with his spirit energy as well as strengthening the wood. Kuwabara's opponent showed him no quarter as he attacked again and again giving him to chance to regain his footing, or giving him a chance to fight back.

When the man let up Kuwabara landed hard on his back followed by the tip of the holy wooden sword. The man mistakenly started to turn his back on Kuwabara thinking him no longer a threat. Kuwabara proved him wrong using the tip of the sword to make his own sword, and ultimately culminating in his defeat. Since only a small piece had broken off of the sword it served Kuwabara as a hilt which channeled his energy, thus making his sword stronger as it was made of spirit energy instead of a wooden sword infused with spirit energy.

According to Genki Kuwabara had materialized his sprit energy knowingly using a technique called materialization. Which was turning spirit energy into a solid object.

Yusuke's fight went the same way as Kuwabara's. He unexpectedly beat his opponent, though through the use of a lit cigarette to give away the man's location as opposed to the sudden emergence of a new technique. It was still a close call though. Yusuke had to use his sprit gun in the end and with his one shot used up things were looking grim. Not to mention he had drawn the unlucky lot that led him to have to fight two fights in a row

On the bright side the candidates for who was Rando were now limited to the body guard who's name Sora didn't bother to catch, and Shorin. Though with how beaten up Yusuke was looking he was afraid he may have to step in and at least try to stop Rando even if none of his powers save his healing abilities were working at the moment. There was no way in hell that after dying after saving the world being stuffed into a new girly body and bound in servitude for the rest of eternity would he let humans get destroyed. He had put way too much effort into this to let that happen.

Genki, and Sora led the others to yet another location. On the walk over Sora could hear Yusuke and Boton talking and sought to cover it as best he could by talking to Genki so as to reduce the risk of Rando over hearing and thus being prepared.

"Some of these fights so far have been quite lacking Baa-sama, These men have the beginnings of power, But I see lack of imagination in them." Intoned Sora emotionlessly just loud enough that it was sure to be over heard.

Genki simply went along with what he was doing. She was a sadist of sorts after all crushing spirits for fun was something she did on a daily basis.

"Yes this bunch is severely lacking its embarrassing. My name must have really fallen into the gutter to attract such weaklings to be my apprentice." Said Genki carelessly still sipping the tea Sora had brought her earlier.

"Hey if we're so weak then why don't you try to be her apprentice you are her granddaughter!" grumbled Kuwabara. Causing Sora to freeze in his steps.

Genki let out a malicious chuckle. "My my Sora-kun still being mistaken for a girl? Ha!" She laughed.

Sora said nothing as he slowly turned to face a now mortified Kuwabara. Though Sora was unable to utilize any but his healing powers he was still able to release his aura which is what he did. The sheer amount of power released was suffocating to those around him, except to Genki who took the opportunity to take the kettle and fill her glass.

Sora reigned in his power after a moment and gave Kuwabara a emotionless stare that sent shivers up his spine before tuning around and starting to walk again. Genki had a sharks grin on her face.

"My grandson is quite powerful, though thanks to a curse he cannot utilize any power but his healing ability. If he were to inherit my power the curse would become permanent. Its sad really some angry psychic who had a grudge against me cursed my grandson in retaliation." She said off handedly turning to follow Sora grinning evilly.

Nothing like making a person feel lower than dirt to make an old lady feel young again. When She reached the top, Sora gave her a small smirk, knowing full well what she had done. He really would have to procure some of Weasley Wizard Wheezes more interactive and inventive jokes for her. Sora was certain she would utilize them in the training of her apprentice some how.

Once the others reached the new location Genki once again adopted her cold and cruel manner.

"This will be will be your new fighting ground." She said nonchalantly as if the aura of the place had no effect on her.

Kuwabara made a groaning sound. "What is it?" He asked.

"The sight of an ancient battle. An entire army was over come by madness" replied Genki

Kuwabara made a face and Sora could tell why. He wasn't sure if the others were able to see it but the souls of those who had died here still lingered, chained to the blood soaked land where they had died. Their fear, hatred and pain bound them and their souls filled the area with latent spirit energy.

"Thousands of soldiers attacked their own men. Restless souls fill this place." Finished Genki

Kuwabara leapt back with a shout.

"I'm seeing things here I never wanted to see! Oh please, please someone take me home!" He cried holding his head.

Sora in an act of compassion placed a comforting hand on the boys arm. "I can see them too." He said softly.

Genki continued on as if she had not been interrupted.

"On this hill side spirit energy over takes the body. It is perhaps the best place on earth to use spirit power, and so the best place for your fight."

"The monk body guard person Sora didn't care about enough to remember his name lifted his hand, a grin spreading across his face.

"Excellent there energy is circulating though me. I feel stronger already!" Said the man causing Sora to frown at him.

His lack of respect for the dead angered him. All he cared about was his own power. He lacked any respect towards where it came from, the pained spirits around them. Sora was sure could these poor spirits around them take form, or even be seen by this man they would make their displeasure known. As it was he made a mental note to bring an offering for the dead later. The last thing they needed was a vengeful spirit attaching itself to them.

Sora would dwell on that later as he looked over to Yusuke. While Yusuke's opponent was already fully recharged, Yusuke wasn't even able to generate a spark yet, and he was about to fight. Things looked grim for the investigation if Yusuke lost this round.

Before Sora had long to dwell on the matter it was time to fight. However ,how the fight started threw him into the void of his memories, as Yusuke's opponent started the fight much the same way Voldemort did each battle with Harry belittling him.

Even at the end when Sora, then Harry, had explained how he had the upper hand Voldemort still taunted him and told him he would die and so would his friends. Just hearing that sent him into the whirling turmoil he harbored in his heart. His friends.

He was still here trapped and enslaved in this horrible existence instead of passing on. He was alive but forbidden to ever see them again. It was torture that knowing that just across this world were his friends… his family. He was forever barred from seeing them. As his tears for his situation began to fall for the first time Yusuke's fight and every one around him was forgotten. For the past few weeks he had been pretending to have healed from the emotional wounds left not only from his former life, but the ones he had received after his death as well.

Sora may have been barred from ever seeing his friends again, but he had not been forbidden from watching them on one of the many viewing mirrors in the spirit world that showed the living world. He had watched for a long time as his friends rebuilt the world and gave his lifeless shell of a body a simple burial between his parents. Thinking he was in a better place. Not knowing that he was still there, still in the living realm but bound for eternity to a sadistic god who chose to punish the innocent because one person had slighted his authority. How he could watch from the viewing screens of spirit world but could not touch them, that even if they met on the street they would not know him for who he was. That he would be forever alone and cursed to enslavement for all eternity.

He smiled, Sora could see their reactions now. Even going as far as storming Spirit World to save him failed, he had a feeling that even King Enma would give in when Hermione went into SPEW mode. It would be more than a thousand times worse if she knew his fate. Sora was sure every ear drum in spirit world would explode from the volume. If Molly Weasley got a hold of him… well Sora couldn't help but wonder if it was possible for Gods of Death to die.

Sora was abruptly torn from his thoughts by Kuwabara screaming in his ear. Apparently while he was lost in his thoughts Yusuke had been in serious trouble and was in the process of being chased by shuriken locked onto his spirit energy. Yusuke was in the process of running an inch from them.

"You have to listen to me Kuwabara, you have to win the tournament now!" shouted Yusuke as he ran by them pursued by the shuriken.

"Well that's funny. What do you think me meant? I figured he wanted to win." Said a very confused Kuwabara.

Sora on the other hand understood immediately. "He is going to sacrifice himself and take Kibano with him." murmured Sora for the first time bothering to remembering the name of the man Yusuke was fighting.

Genki nodded. "Yes, he has realized he can't escape and is killing two birds with one bomb."

"HE WHAT!" Screamed Kuwabara before turning towards his friend. "Urameshi don't do it! Can't you think this out a little more?"

Before anything could happen, other than Kibano powering up, Yusuke vanished, and shortly after Kibano was hit with his own attack knocking him out of the running. Yusuke was found moments after. He had slipped in the mud and been partially sucked onto the bog. The spirit detective had won by the skin of his teeth in a manner that reminded Sora of his past self. Sora released the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding as he watched Yusuke being scolded by Kuwabara and Boton alike

It also left no doubt as to who the demon was… Shorin was defiantly Rando… and Kuwabara was up next.

-I am the great and terrible line break-_- Sent to eat your cookies! Om nom nom-

AN: MUAHAHAHA! An evil cliff hanger of doom I hope you enjoyed the 7,000 word long update!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Still do not own

Happy Birthday to Me!

This is my gift to all of you on my 23rd Birthday

AN: Thanks to all you lovely and wonderful people who reviewed!

AN 2: I have a poll on my profile asking which WIP story I write is your personal favorite. If you would please vote on the poll I am using it for personal feed back. Thanks!

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings and desperate men,

And dost wit poison, war and sickness dwell.

-'Death be not proud' by John Donne.

* * *

><p>"Since he doesn't seem to be moving you'll just have to fight around him" Said Genki in a bored voice. "Come on you two, lets close up the semi finals"<p>

Normally Sora would have laughed at that, but he was feeling too worried for Kuwabara to do so. The kid had a lot of potential sure, but he has only just accessed his spiritual powers, and as such they were not nearly as strong as they needed to be. Not to mention that his instincts were going haywire over this. Even as a human his instincts had been unusually good, now as a demon-human hybrid they were a hundred times better. Right now his hair was standing on end and his instincts were screaming _'Run you idiot! This guy is too powerful for you as you are now! Run or die!'_

Sora ignored them out of sheer will power; which in itself was surprising for a demon of his 'age'. Ignoring ingrained survival instincts was a hard thing to do after all.

"Its ironic, out of all the fighters, Shorin was last on my list as a suspect" Said Boton to Yusuke.

"Yeah, if you're going to disguise yourself why not look cooler?" asked Yusuke.

"Its so people would under estimate him. No one would think by looking at him that he is a homicidal demon would they?" intoned Sora bring looks of surprise on him from Boton and Yusuke.

"If Shorin is in fact Rando I'm afraid Kuwabara is out of his league" Boton said the worry evident in her voice.

"Hey Kuwabara, wait up!" Yelled Yusuke.

"Don't try to give me your coaching advice Urameshi." replied Kuwabara as Yusuke ran up to him.

Yusuke whispered something to Kuwabara and obviously got a response he didn't want.

"I don't care who he is! First, I'm going to beat him, then I'm going to grind you into the dirt so don't try to get out of this making me scared!" Yelled Kuwabara poking his finger on Yusuke's nose. "Secondly, you beat that last guy by luck!" yelled Kuwabara.

Boton and Sora looked on from the side lines. Boton with worry and Sora with a dispassionate gaze. Sora had never expected Kuwabara to listen to Yusuke, like Ron would have never listened to him in things like this. It was a matter of pride and proving oneself to people like Kuwabara and Ron. Once they got it into their minds to do something they didn't stop.

"What's that got to do with this?" Yelled Yusuke

"I'm not exactly sure, but I'm going to fight this guy. Monster or not!" Kuwabara yelled back.

"What's the point? You know I'll beat you next anyway." Replied Yusuke.

The two got into an argument and Boton jumped in to intervene. Sora just sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. Regardless of the argument he knew Kuwabara would fight. He also knew that he would loose. It was inevitable. There was also no guarantee that Yusuke would win. All he was sure of was his healing abilities would be in great demand at the end of this fight, so he should relax and gather his strength while he could.

"The dimwit can't see that its pointless to argue can he." Genki said holding out her tea cup to Sora, who dutifully refilled it.

Sora shook his head in the negative, while taking a sip of his tea.

"Please Sir, may we start?" Asked Shorin/Rando a smile on his face as he saluted Kuwabara in martial arts fashion.

"Yeah" replied Kuwabara getting into a fighting stance.

Boton and Yusuke both looked on worriedly while Sora looked on impassively.

Genki handed Sora her cup. "Begin!" she yelled.

Shorin/Rando took up a martial arts position while Kuwabara yelling that he would take him in one shot charged recklessly. Shorin took the punch to the face and was sent flying back. He then sat up and rubbed his cheek murmuring to himself as he did. While the human's didn't hear it Sora did.

"_I see this fighter will need more strength than I thought" _was what Sora heard and Sora's non existent heartbeat quickened. Things were going to go badly very quickly now.

Kuwabara ever the kind hearted soul rubbing the back of his head. "Gee buddy, are you alright? That was just a warm up shot." He asked genuinely worried that he had seriously injured him.

Shorin/Rando just got to his feet. "You needn't worry about my health sir." He said calmly as he got to his feet with ease.

He then charged and started going at Kuwabara with various martial arts movies all of which Kuwabara dodged easily. Shortly after that began Kuwabara managed to hit Shorin/Rando on the head and knocked him into the ground.

It was this that alarmed Sora even more. _'He's playing with him!' _It was a cruel thing, making Kuwabara think he had the upper hand before he would suddenly turn the tables and have his own 'fun' with Kuwabara. This would be physiological pain as well as physical shortly.

Kuwabara unaware of what was to come was laughing a bit sheepishly. "Our difference in strength is pretty big huh?" He asked grinning in a friendly manner.

Looking around Genki was the only one besides Sora that understood what was really happening. Yusuke and Boton were over on the side debating if Rando had already been beaten or was hiding somewhere. They didn't understand that Rando was indeed Shorin and very soon the tables would turn and drastically, and Kuwabara would be his first victim.

"What is that all we're going to fight?" Asked Kuwabara the friendly smile still on his face.

"No, let me try a few techniques first" Said Shorin/Rando.

The red flag in Sora's instincts popped up again warning him of the now inevitable danger. His worry was justified as after just a few stances the structure of Shorin/Rando's spirit energy changed. Not only that but a fiery ball of demonic energy masked to feel like spirit energy formed in both of his hands. Rando was going to show his true self.

"What is that?" Asked a slightly shaken Kuwabara.

"It couldn't be." Intoned Genki her eyes widening slightly at the sight of the technique.

"Circles of inferno!" Yelled Shorin/Rando before launching then at Kuwabara.

Kuwabara was just barely able to dodge the attacks by the skin of his teeth. Even once the attack had finished he was frantically checking himself over to see if his uniform was going to erupt in flames.

"You're ok Kuwabara, stop giving yourself a pat down and get ready for his next attack!" Yelled Yusuke.

"Would you shut up?" yelled Kuwabara.

While this was happening Shorin/Rando was getting ready to use another round of circles of inferno.

"Fine if you want to use fire works then I'll use mine!" And with that he used the bit of the holy wooden sword he had to conduct his energy into a sword. 'All right you little shit, baby batter's up."

As Shorin/Rando threw the next ball of fiery energy Kuwabara did indeed hit it with the sword like it was nothing more than a base ball, right back at Shorin/Rando. Shorin/Rando's own attack slammed into his stomach sending him flying. The others were talking among themselves excitedly but Sora only watch Shorin/Rando. He was shaking slightly and holding his stomach in pain, which would be normal but Sora's insticts yet again went haywire as while the other's weren't paying attention Shorin/Rando got to his feet a smirk on his face.

'_This is where it will all change.' _Thought Sora with a vague feeling of horror for what was about to happen.

"Very surprising, twice now you've managed to evade my own attacks and make them into your own offensive"

"Aww, don't make it sound so technical. I'm just trying to cream you!' Said Kuwabara with a smile.

"This requires a new approach." Said Shorin/Rando changing his stance yet again.

With that Shorin began chanting and the hairs on Sora's arms, and neck stood on end, while his instincts were screaming danger. Kuwabara unaware of the potential danger just stood there smiling his sword over his shoulder waiting for the next attack unaware that all the while the chant was the attack.

"What the hell are you muttering over there? You might as well speak up!" Said Kuwabara.

"Yes I thought I recognized where that fireball attack was from. Ages ago two renouned masters spent the last half of their lives perfecting the circles of inferno and this chant" Said Genki.

"What's this do?" Asked Yusuke worry evident in his voice.

"That doesn't matter. What does matter is the only ones who could have taught this boy have been dead for centuries." Snapped Genki watching the fight closely.

"Old lady, you just proved something for me once and for all. That chanter's defiantly no boy." growled Yusuke.

"I'm shutting you up! You're freaking me out!" Yelled Kuwabara charging Shorin/Rando a second time.

Before he could even get half way across the field between the Shorin/Rando finished the chant and yelled out "REDUCTION!"

Before their eyes Kuwabara started to rapidly shrink. Before even a second had passed he was the size of the average three year old, and not even a second after that he five inches shorter than a Barbie doll.

To Kuwabara however this happened too quickly for him to comprehend. To him, Sora thought, it must have seemed like Shorin/Rando had suddenly grown to giant size.

Shorin/Rando eyes had turned the color of red wine and were slowly brightening to the color of an apple. They were not the blood red orbs of Voldemort but the look of sadistic glee in those eyes was enough to make Sora tense with shock. It took a moment of mental 'He's dead, He's in limbo, he can't escape, he's dead" For Sora to rein in his terror. Though he had defeated his life long enemy; it would take time before he mentally recovered from the horrors of his past life.

After recovering from his short about of inner terror Sora turned his attention back to the fight and watched in horror as Shorin/Rando was trying to stop the 5 inch tall Kuwabara.

So far Kuwabara had been lucky enough to avoid being crushed under the giant feet. His fear was evident on his face and he could hear the fear in Kuwabara's yelled and he scrabbled to get out of the way.

True to Sora's prediction of Kuwabara not realizing he had shrunk Kuwabara yelled, "Hey how did that Kid get so big? Hey the grass got big too!"

Kuwabara looked around him in horror. The grass was taller than he was newly sprouted trees were the size of normal ones and the trees were like pillars to the sky. Finally it dawned on him.

"Wait a minute!"

He froze with fear only to turn sharply around at the strange noise coming from behind him. Only to come face to face with a giant caterpillar that,to him, was the size of a small dog.

"Th-that's a caterpillar! Ahhh! I've turned into an insect" Kuwabara shrieked in a mixture of horror and fear.

Out of the blue Shorin/Rando's hand descended from the sky and clamped tightly around Kuwabara's body.

Sora watched all this in horror and didn't even need to see the look on Shorin/Rando's face to know what he planned to do with Kuwabara. Beside him Boton and Yusuke exclaimed in horror at Kuwabara's situation.

"Don't worry you're still a human. Just a very small and fragile one" Shorin/Rando said in a sickly sweet voice that reminded Sora hair raisingly of Umbridge before she tortured a first year or himself with her blood quills.

Shorin/Rando slowly started squeezing the tiny Kuwabara. Even from his place six feet away Sora could hear the sickening and distinctive sound of breaking bones. Shorin/Rando was slowly crushing Kuwabara. The look of pure sadistic glee on his face was almost enough to turn his stomach, if he hadn't grown up during a time of war it would have.

Kuwabara's face was contorted in agony as his ribs were broken one by one. To his credit all he did was grunt in pain, though Sora wasn't sure how much longer he could keep silent.

"So", asked Shorin/Rando conversationally his eyes alight with sadistic glee, "Does this hurt?" after he asked he tightened him grip further wrenching the first scream of pain from Kuwabara as more of his bones were broken; more than one at a time.

"There's no way he can pull out of this." Exclaimed Yusuke worriedly.

"Kuwabara, tell him you're backing out of the fight!" Yelled Yusuke, afraid for his friend.

Shorin slowly turned his head towards Yusuke a smile on his face his eyes glowing with sadistic pleasure.

"Oh but that just can't be aloud. I have to make use of this power a little first" He said sweetly, almost mockingly to Yusuke.

With that he started on Kuwabara once again tightening the hand that held Kuwabara. Once more the sounds of breaking bones filled the clearing. While Yusuke, Boton, and Sora looked on with horror Shorin/Rando's face was contorting to an animal like expression of glee as he reveled in the pain he inflicted on Kuwabara.

Kuwabara tried valiantly not to scream in pain but he only lasted for a second before a scream slipped past only for him to quickly reel in the sound. Shorin has having none of it and it seemed as though he had grown tired of only squeezing his victim.

He pinched Kuwabara's head between his fingers and let go of his body for a second, placing strain of Kuwabara's weight on his neck, before clenching him again chuckling joyously all the while he was torturing Kuwabara.

With a smile of delight he tossed Kuwabara in the air leaving him to fall only to catch him again in his fist.

"I'm curious about the strength of bones after they've shrunk." He said conversationally, taking Kuwabara's right arm between two of his fingers and tearing the sleeve of Kuwabara's uniform off.

Kuwabara turned towards his arm his face alight with terror as Shorin/Rando wrapped his hand around his arm, in preparation to crush his bones.

"KUWABARA!" Screamed Yusuke in fear as he watched his best friend being tortured before his eyes.

Shorin/Rando started to crush various parts of Kuwabara's arm, started at the elbow joint. Still getting a thrill out of the pain he was causing.

Sora watched all this with a detached sense of horror. Shorin/Rando in his mind were alternately being overlapped with Bellatrix and Voldemort; then back to Rando again. The screams of Kuwabara and the echoing screams of those under the Cruciatus curse started to over lap. His head was pounding with phantom pains of a no longer existing scar that has never been afflicted on his body.

It wasn't Sora's body that was scarred, but his mind and soul. He knew that. Despite its purity what he had seen in his past life had scarred his soul badly. Koenma had said it would take time before those scars would fade, but they never would fade completely. The things he had seen never really left, and seeing Shorin/Rando torturing Kuwabara was awakening those painful scars. Sora clutched his head in pain as phantom pain from the Cruciatus wracked his body. He was loosing himself to the pain. Any minute now the pain would carry him away.

Before that could happen Kuwabara's pain filled scream of _'Please no more!' _registered in his mind past his own pain. And Sora's 'saving people thing' started to push the invading pain away in its need to help someone who he was beginning to see as a friend. Someone so like Ron it made his heart ache. Suddenly the pain lifted. Like the time in the Department of Mysteries when Voldemort had been possessing him; his pure selflessness and love for others forced the invading force from his body.

As soon as he was free he sprang to his feet just as Yusuke as saying he was going in. Before Genki could even call the fight Sora was in front of Shorin/Rando his delicate hand holding Shorin's arm in a punishing grip.

"That's enough! Let him go NOW! This fight is over!" He snarled.

Before Shorin/Rando Genki cut in.

"I agree that's enough," the old physic said in a neutral voice.

"Alright" Shorin said in a sing song voice before continuing to squeeze.

Yusuke ran at Shorin to attack but Sora who had his hand on Shorin/Rando's arm felt the muscles tense in preparation to throw. Sure enough Shorin threw Kuwabara from him. In an instant Sora released his grip and ran after Kuwabara, and dove, catching Kuwabara as gently as he could in his hand.

Sora gently cradled Kuwabara's tiny boy to his chest before gently setting him down on the ground to assess his injuries.

"You wanted me to let him go right?" Laughed Shorin/Rando with an innocent quality to his voce as though he had not just tortured and thrown aside Kuwabara.

Shorin started to chant again while Sora was taking stock of Kuwabara's many and extensive injuries. When he finished the chant with _'Restore,' _Kuwabara was once again his normal size. Sora had to struggle back to avoid Kuwabara's battered body hitting his.

Kuwabara's injuries looked much worse in his normal size than they had been when he was shrunk. Sora knew the damage was extensive. All of his ribs were either broken, some times in multiple place, or cracked. His vertebrae were fractured, and his arms had shattered elbow joints, and were broken in two places besides that. His organs thankfully were only heavily bruised instead of ruptured. He also had a compound fracture on his right leg from Sora catching him, which would have been worse if he had actually hit the ground.

"Oh my god his body, its twisted!" Yusuke said, horrified at the state his friend was in.

"His arms are in pieces, his ribs too, I don't know if he will heal" said a tearful Boton, after doing a quick visual examination of the battered Kuwabara.

Despite the odds, Kuwabara was conscious, and he slowly, painfully turned his head to see Yusuke a smile on his face despite the horrible pain he must be in.

"I..won't..die. Even..if….all..the..bones..in..my…body…are…broken! Remember..Urameshi…we…still…gotta…fight…each..oth..er" Kuwabara painfully rasped out, as soon as he finished speaking he promptly passed out from the pain.

Sora immediately brought the healing powers Koenma had given his new body and set to work repairing the organs and rib cage.

While he was doing this Yusuke smiled sadly. "Yeah buddy, that's right" He said a little thickly reaching out and placing a gentle hand on Kuwabara's head.

Yusuke shook with rage as he saw Shorin/Rando approach his fallen friend.

"I can't tell you how long I wanted to use that technique on someone but it takes so much time to complete the chant. Its very bothersome." Shorin said with happy tone and slight laugh in his words.

"The move is so complex," he continued, "imagine concentrating on that while fighting fifteen people. What with the word order, the incantation, but with your spirit wave technique." He turned to face Genki, "you could destroy a hundred people with one simple motion of your energy. That is right isn't it, Master?" He asked, the sadistic glow back in his eyes.

Sora had to swallow back the bile that had risen at these words as he focused on healing Kuwabara and keeping him stable. The wounds to his organs had been worse than he had imagined and he had just healed a puncture in the boys lung. He was using his powers to save Kuwabara's life, and Shorin/Rando was talking about killing a hundred people in one go. Sora just focus on blocking them out while getting Kuwabara stable enough that he and Boton could start on this other injuries.

He vaguely heard Genki retort to Shorin with venom in her voice, _"Yes, if its misused" _And Shorin/Rando's mocking reply _"Of course. I wouldn't ever use it that way," _After that Sora tuned them out completely as he started forming Kuwabara's rib cage.

Genki declared the start of the Final match, Shorin vs. Yusuke.

Sora took a split second to check on Yusuke, the match was about two minutes in and Yusuke was putting his rage, and sorrow from seeing Kuwabara tortured to good use. The combination of his emotions and the plethora of spirit energy around them fueling him as he gave Shorin/Rando a sound beating, often sending him flying back several feet from the force of his punches.

Shorin/Rando used yet another of his stolen techniques, one called Sickle and Tornado, which used a vacuum centered around the opponent to suck the air violently from the body through cuts in the skin.

Shorin/Rando was laughing as Yusuke was hit with the painful attacks. He pretended to be disappointed when Yusuke did not pass out from the pain, but the glee shining in his eyes said other wise as he launched yet another attack.

"It appears your friend is a fool" Genki said to Boton, who had just finished helping Sora heal the major injuries Kuwabara had sustained.

"No, just mad!" Boton exclaimed.

Shorin/Rando taunted Yusuke as he charged him, and Yusuke undaunted continued his arms raised high above his head, which were brought down to protect his head when he purposely threw himself threw the attacks to get at his attacker.

"I don't know where he got the will to endure that kind of pain, but he's making it into the eye of the tornado."

"Seeing someone you care about in such a state does that. It makes even the most impossible task possible." Sora replied quietly thinking of how Ron acted during and after hearing Hermione being tortured by Bellatrix.

Sure enough, Yusuke got through the protective tornado surrounding Shorin/Rando and landed a solid hit to the neck and slamming him into the ground.

Shorin hit the ground and moved no more. It seemed as though Yusuke had done the impossible, and won against Shorin/Rando with out taking much damage from him aside from lingering pain.

After catching his breath and looking over at Shorin Yusuke panted out. "I got him, and he wasn't joking about the pain."

An excited Boton run up to Yusuke. "You did it! You got him good Yusuke! He'll probably be out for a week!" She happily cried

"Well, that's what happens when you piss me off" Yusuke crowed.

Sora tuned them out, and sensing nothing from Shorin/Rando for the moment focused on healing the last bits of Kuwabara's life threatening injuries. He would be unconscious for a while, but he would live and be fully functional. Thankfully he hadn't been injured any worse than that. Sora's energy was untrained and limited. It was due to his instinct that he was able to heal Kuwabara and he definitely needed to eat and take a nap soon, using that about of energy was exhausting.

Kuwabara once again defied the odds as he woke up to respond to something Boton had said.

"Hey, I'm not dead yet. I still gotta kick Urameshi's…" He croaked before his faded out again.

Yusuke got up and walked wobbly to Genki. "Well, what did you think of that Old Lady?" He quipped.

"You shouldn't have wasted your energy walking over here! Did you really think Rando could be defeated so easily?" She asked, angered by his foolishness.

Upon hearing this Sora's head snapped towards where Rando had fallen and with his almost depleted energy was able to pick up a faint feeling of demonic energy being gathered. Genki was right this was far from over.

"What?" Yusuke croaked in horror.

As soon as he did a deep malicious chuckle soon turned full blown laugh echoed across the clearing.

"Yes , you should listen to the old hag. They tend to know things. For example, that I am a demon who will not be destroyed. Likely she also knows that I must kill you all as you are about to see my true form. The only real mystery is this… How will I choose to torture you?"

Sora's eyes widened in shock as Rando's true from was revealed, and his true strength. The earth cracked and parted creating a fissure under Yusuke's feet as the detected looked on in shock. From a hole in the ground cake a blue blast of energy and Rando slowly ascended from the depths.

He had grayish skin with red looking scars, long hair red hair and yellow eyes with blue markings over his face.

He chucked darkly. "I'm the one you've been looking for.. Rando!"

* * *

><p>"So that's Rando" growled Boton, an angry expression on her face .<p>

Before anyone else had the chance to speak Kuwabara started to speak even in his state of unconsciousness.

"Urameshi… are you ready to fight yet? 'Cuz I'm ready as soon as you are" croaked Kuwabara.

"Huh? Even when loosing consciousness that boy has a one track mind." Genki stated turning back to the fight.

Sora rose from Kuwabara's side and made his way over to where Genki and Boton were. He gracelessly sank to the ground and poured himself a cup of tea and added lots of sugar to it and tossed it back quickly, a few more glasses following in rapid succession. He was going to need a lot of energy to help heal both Kuwabara and Yusuke after the fights, he might as well have something on his stomach to gather it from. After drinking the entire pot of heavily sugared tea Sora turned his attention to the fight.

"This is always the hardest part," started Rando with a smile as he walked towards Yusuke with a predatory smirk on his face. Yusuke faltered and fell to his knees as what remained of his strength started to give out,

"Choosing what technique to use first" Finished Rando as he came to stand in front of Yusuke's kneeling form. "Like a drooling boy in a candy store, perhaps you can give me a suggestion?" Mocked Rando as he smiled maliciously down at the fallen detective.

Yusuke however wasn't going to be cowed by such a little thing as exhaustion. "Shut your mouth." He grit out rising up to throw a punch at Rando.

Yusuke threw more than a single punch at Rando. He started hitting every part of the body in front of him, but Rando didn't even bat an eye as Yusuke repeatedly struck him. Even his 'kill shot' did nothing to him. Yusuke however didn't realize that. When he finished with a cocky _"So there!" _All Rando did was smirk.

"Oh crap!" Exclaimed Yusuke.

Sora couldn't agree more with Yusuke's elegant summary of their situation. Things were looking very grim.

"This battle isn't going to last very long if only half of you can throw a punch" Mocked Rando.

"What?" asked Yusuke

"Those punches had absolutely no spirit power. You've gone dry." Rando happily informed him. "I just thought of the perfect technique for you" Rando told him.

With that he crouched and the red glow of his demonic energy surrounded him like an aura. His eyes glowed white , and opening his mouth a spider like thread sprang from his mouth surrounding Yusuke.

"What is it?" asked Boton worridly.

"That is life force thread. An Archaic from of materialized spirit energy, no doubt taken from a very ancient physic.

Sora looked on in dread as Yusuke was surrounded by the life force thread not unlike a spider casting thread to catch a fly. Just as he had thought this Rando tore the ends of the threads from his mouth and pulled. The threads wrapped around Yusuke binding him in a solid cocoon.

" I can't move!" Yelled Yusuke in shock.

Rando laughed and tightened the threads Around Yusuke. "Needless to say I could crush you in an instant, but I'd rather test my techniques. It's been such a long time. This thread is connected to my own energy and no human efforts can sever it "

"Yeah, I noticed." Wheezed out Yusuke as he tried fruitlessly to escape the bonds around his chest. "Seems kinda boring that way" Finished Yusuke trying to goad Rando into releasing him to try a new attack.

"Yes I shall have to add some more excitement" Rando laughed pulling Yusuke to him via the threads in his hand, before pivoting and swinging Yusuke around and around in a wide circle bring it as high as the threads would allow only to slam him down to the ground.

"How's this? Better?" Laughed Rando before beginning to swing Yusuke around for a second time.

He slammed Yusuke face down into the ground. "Is this boring you?" Taunted Rando lifting Yusuke for yet another swing, this time slamming him through the surrounding trees.

It continued in this manner for some time Rando continually asking Yusuke if he was still bored. Sora watched in horror as a battered Yusuke was slammed through trees and onto the ground below. He wished he could interfere, but doing so would guarantee that the match would disqualify Yusuke. Leading Genki to train Rando. Genki didn't care who won as long as she had a successor.

This thought was solidified when Boton asked her to intervene.

Genki replied that she wouldn't interfere, and that she would teach who ever won and to intervene would interfere with the selection.

Boton was incensed by this. And pointed out that if Rando won he would use her powers to kill hundreds of other innocent people and the blood would be on her hands.

"There are things you don't understand. Progress is what must prevail It's a story that I cannot change." Came Genkai's response.

Sora looked down at the ground at this. What Genki said was true in a way. Life would always move forward and those that were dead always stayed behind. Hewas technically was dead himself, his soul housed in an artificial body made in Spirit world. He was dead, yet life moved on.

Even those who had been his close friends and family in his life as Harry Potter had started moving on with their lives. They would miss him and mourn him, yes, but life continued its ever forward march. Life and progress stopped for no one. The deaths of one or even a thousand people never made much on an impact on life.

In a few hundred years most people were gone were long forgotten even by their own descendants. Harry Potter would have a place in a History book but in time he would be just a foot note. He and Voldemort would just be named on opposite sides of a nameless war.

People would read about it and no one would really care. For them it would be just another lesson in class. They would not have known those who had lived and died in those times. Maybe given enough time the reason for the war itself would be forgotten. It was inevitable that eventually Harry Potter would be forgotten forever.

Still, Sora looked on the fight that had progressed while he had been lost in his morose thoughts. Yusuke was now hanging upside down from a tree by the life force thread over a pond. Yet he still had a look of defiance in his eyes, even after being tortured.

Rando stood at the edge of the pond and laughed. "So, how do you feel?" He asked mockingly.

"Why do you keep asking? I'm hanging upside down from a tree! Why don't you take a guess you freak!" Snarled Yusuke, fed up Rando's questioning.

"Ooh, hostile! We're not there yet" mocked Rando the sadistic glee evident in his voice, before he started to chant, but this chant was different.

Ripples started appearing on the formerly calm surface of the pond Yusuke was hanging over. Then bubbles formed as well.

'_Something that wasn't in the water before was there now but what?' _Thought Sora looking at the water in apprehension. Suddenly a monstrous fish leapt out of the water straight for Yusuke missing him by inches. That wasn't the only one though, in the water shadows of dozens of those monstrous fish could be seen. Rando was going to feed Yusuke to the fish!

"What are those?" Demanded Yusuke in fear.

" I brought them from the depths of spirit world. They're called hatefish."

"Hatefish?" questioned Yusuke sounding unsure of himself.

"And through another technique I created a trainer demon. They're controllable and very fierce. Now watch"

With that Rando threw the trainer demon at Yusuke, the demon enlarging to attack him. However before it could reach him, Rando froze him with his powers and let him fall into the waters below amidst the hatefish. They swarmed, converging on the demon like piranha in seconds the demon was torn apart and consumed. An undoubtedly quick but painful death.

"As you can see they're very hungry, and the demon could defend himself. Imagine if he had been tied up." As he was speaking the remaining bones of the unfortunate demon floated to the surface. 'But enough about that, I want to try a move I learned much more recently, the Spirit Gun."

Rando did indeed fire off a spirit gun, firing it so it missed Yusuke's face by inches leaving only a bleeding cut on his face. Sora noted that Yusuke's face had finally adopted a look of fear, apparently he wasn't the only one.

"That's it! That's the look! You have surrendered to your fear." Exclaimed a gleeful Rando.

"He must have copied his move after only seeing Yusuke use it once" Breathed Boton.

"And it was also several times more deadly. This creatures adaptability and knowledge of the human spirit is incredible."

"Its awful!" Gasped Boton.

"If he does learn my power he will undoubtedly take it further than I could ever go." Genki replied simply.

Sora's hands gripped his pants tightly in an effort to keep himself from rushing to help his friend. Doing so however would ensure Rando's win, and after he had killed them all, he would learn Genki's technique before killing her as well. He would have to wait, and bide his time. If it was certain beyond a doubt that Yusuke would loose he would try to kill Rando to prevent him learning his adopted grandmother's technique. Even if it led to her hating him he would not let the monster before him kill his friends and newly formed family. Sora turned his attention back to the fight.

"The fear screaming from the victim's eyes. Increased power is wonderful, but it's the fear that makes me hunt. You have shown me that fear. Now die."

With that Rando fired the spirit gun at the limb the threads holding Yusuke to the tree, breaking it and plunging him into the waters below, thus leaving him to the mercy of the hatefish.

Yusuke screamed, a scream that was echoed by both Boton and Sora as their friend plunged head first towards the waters below.

Yusuke however adopted a look of anger as he fell.

"THIS IS DUMB!" He yelled just before plunging into the water.

Sora was frozen. He couldn't move as the horror of what he had seen hit him full force. His friend, the first friend he had made in this second life, who he had bonded with before this mission even began. Before he had come to Genki's and they were given the mission he had stayed at Yusuke's place with him for a couple of days. They had bonded over talking about school hated teachers, Sora teasing Yusuke about Keiko… and now his new friend was going to die… he couldn't die! Sora didn't want to be alone again! He stood and started to run to where Yusuke had fallen only to be grabbed by Genki.

"You cannot interfere boy!" She said with a glint in her eye.

Sora pulled himself loose. And continued to run as close to the edge as he could get with out being in danger of the hatefish. He couldn't help Yusuke, he couldn't swim, But if he came to the surface he would pull Yusuke out damn the rules. If his new grandmother was angry at him for it then so be it! He would not abandon his friend so easily.

"YUSUKE URAMESHI IF YOU DIE I'LL HAVE KOENMA REVIVE YOU THEN KICK YOU ASS BEFORE TELLING KEIKO IT WAS YOU WHO STOLE HER SCHOOL UNIFORM!" Yelled Sora at the top of his lungs towards the water.

Rando turned towards Sora an evil smirk on his face. "Once Mr. Urameshi is dead I think I'll start on you next. I've only used a couple techniques and I'm dying to try out some more. Maybe I'll try the one that makes illusions of the victim's fear only these illusions really hurt, or maybe I'll melt your bones. So many techniques I can't wait to try them all!" He let out a cruel chuckle the sadistic gleam bright as ever in his eyes now aimed at Sora.

Sora's attention however wasn't on Rando something Blue was rising from Kuwabara's body and flying towards the pond. If he wasn't mistaken it looked a lot like a soul. Had Kuwabara died? Had he missed something when he healed the life threatening injuries?

The blue ball of light what ever it may be splashed down into the water, And was quickly lost from sight. Rando looked mildly surprised for a moment.

"A soul." He said mildly before turning from the pond. "No matter it's probably the soul of that idiot come to bid his friend farewell, I was just going to kill him anyway. Oh well." With a smirk he turned once again towards Sora, who involuntarily took a step back.

"Let's get started shall we? I need to find the perfect attack for you."

He said cheerfully drawing back his fist and punching Sora in the jaw with enough force to send him flying back into a tree, but before anything else could occur a bright light enveloped the pond, a bright light with Yusuke's unique spirit energy. Water shot out of the pond like a geyser shooting fifty feet into the air, the light was blinding. Sora closed his eyes and covered them with his hands. He could hear Rando groan in pain as the light blinded him.

Once the light dissipated nothing was left of the fish but random chunks that covered the surface of the water and the ground around the pool.

"All that energy can't have come from that boy! His crippled friend must have transferred the last of his energy to him. Oh well, it matters not just more time to practice my favorite techniques. Though I still love the idea of killing you with your own attack!" He yelled powering up another spirit gun and aiming it at the pond. "Now come out!"

All was quiet while they waited for Yusuke to break the surface of the pond. Rapid bubbles started popping near the edge of the pond. Rando fired his spirit gun at them.

"One thing about swamps" Yelled Yusuke as water sprayed from a hole filled with water behind Rando, "There just always connected to another one!' He finished Leaping out from the spray a sprit gun aimed directly at Rando.

"And as for my Spirit Gun technique, you're doing it all wrong!" Yelled Yusuke, his power surrounding his body like a blue aura.

"Oh?" Demanded Rando powering up his own Spirit gun and aiming it at Yusuke.

"You hold too much back! SPIRIT GUN!" screamed Yusuke firing

Sora used this as a perfect time to get back to Genki and Boton as fast as he could. He knew a few things about colliding energies after all. After his defeat of Voldemort the area below their spells had collided was crater five feet deep. He didn't feel like being blown up Thank you very much.

The energies collided and for a moment it looked like Rando's was winning as it started pushing Yusuke's spirit gun back. But Yusuke's shot through Rando's attack straight at Rando himself. Striking him right in the chest above his heart and sending him flying into the very pond he had tried to feed Yusuke to the hatefish in.

Yusuke fell to his knees utterly spend and panting so hard his body was moving with his ragged breath.

"Sure you can use it more than once but you loose the good old stopping power" Said Yusuke a smile on his face.

"Good shot!' Boton cheer jumping up in excitement.

"Do you still think I'm a fool for not taking him out of the fight?" Smirked Genki

Sora stood beside them a grin adorning his face. "I must admit you were right to leave him in Baa-sama Forgive me for doubting you." He said happy to be proven wrong.

"Don't worry, you'll be paying off your disobedience with a lot of cleaning later. I have several buildings on my land that haven't been cleaned for years." This was said with an evil smile that had Sora wanting to run for the hills and never return… if he didn't know his grandmother would drag him back kicking and screaming to do even more work.

Before they could celebrate however the swamp started to bubble violently and this wasn't swamp gas. A beam of energy shot up evaporating the water and leaving a giant crater in the ground where the water once was. The steam cleared to reveal a very angry Rando.

"You have caused me pain. I did not like that." with that he leapt from the crater and punched Yusuke with a spirit energy charged fist. Sending him stumbling before landing a kick to his stomach.

"This boy's attack injured me more than I thought, I barely have the energy to destroy him." Rando growled.

Yusuke was laid flat on the ground. "Even though it looks like I can't move right now I'm very dangerous" Said Yusuke causing Rando to snort.

"There's no point in either of us bluffing now. Both our bodies are exhausted and out spirits are weak. But I'll still succeed! Because I can reduce your body and crush your puny bones, like I did with your ridiculous friend!"

With that Rando started to chant. How ever the most extraordinary thing happened. Once Rando yelled _"Reduction," _instead of Yusuke shrinking it was Rando who was shrinking! He Didn't even notice as he was too busy gloating over Yusuke to see that he was the one shrinking until it was too late! He was already half his original size, and continuing to shrink. When he was finally done shrinking he was only five inches tall.

"Its not right! How have I been the one to shrink?"

Genki, Boton and Sora approached the now shrunken Rando. He looked up as their shadows fell over him.

"You're a slave to your own techniques." Genki said

"But How?" asked Boton.

"It is physical law that the balance of mater created by that technique must be relieved. If there is no victim then the user goes boom!"

"Are you blind? That boy was clearly my victim!" Yelled Rando.

"Yes, but his body must know that. As with any spoken chant the victim is affected only by hearing it. In this way it enters the brain and reprograms the cells. All a reasonably intelligent fighter has to do is cover his ears." snarked Genki

"But if I didn't know it then how could he?" Demanded Rando.

"He didn't. He was swamp gunk in his ears" Replied Sora seeing a bit of algae sticking out of Yusuke's right ear.

Just as he finished saying that Yusuke sat up. "Why's everything so quiet?" He yelled bringing his fingers to his right ear and pulling the algae Sora had seen out.

"Uugh! Swamp algae in my ears. Gross!"

"Swamp algae?" Rando screamed in rage

"You may know the mechanics of your stolen techniques, but with out training you'll never know how to use them." Said Genki simply.

"Shut up hag. All I have to do is reverse the chant and I'll.." He never finished what he was going to say as Yusuke stood up at that moment.

"Come on now. You really think I'm going to let you do that? Even at that size I don't have the energy to punch you, but I guess at this point we can let gravity take over." Said Yusuke.

And with that Yusuke fell forward Rando tried to out run him but it was in vain as Yusuke's elbow landed rather painfully on Rando's back.

"And that boys and girls is my super elbow drop" Yusuke muttered.

Sora raised an eye brow, but decided to tease him about it later. Instead he transfigured a stone into a glass jar and put several unbreakable charms on the jar and lid, scooped Rando up and plopped him in the jar. He spelled it to let air in and used what little spirit energy he had to seal the lid.

"Yusuke, you did it!" Exclaimed Boton running to his side.

"I know but can we wait until tomorrow before we start jumping around all excited like?" groaned Yusuke.

"Winner of the Genki Tournament Yusuke Urameshi" causing Boton to giggle with glee and start to cheer, and Sora to laugh with relief.

Genki lead Sora over to Kuwabara and together they healed him up good as knew while Sora got a crash course in proper healing technique.

"I should take Rando to Spirit world now" Said Boton holding up the jar with Rando in it.

"Oh, darn! I was hoping I could keep him as a pet" Quipped Yusuke.

Genki and Sora finished healing Kuwabara, and Genki turned to Boton and Yusuke.

"You should take Kuwabara, now that we've finished working on him" She said.

"What do you mean? Take him to spirit world?" asked Yusuke

"No dimwit! Take him to his house! We've helped him make a complete recovery." Said Genki

"Whoa, that spirit wave technique sounds pretty cool" Yusuke said

"I'm glad you approve, since you'll be training for the next six months to learn it." Said Genki.

Sora smiled. He would have the company of his new friend while he stayed at Genki's then. Yusuke's reply however nearly had Sora fall over.

"Nahh I'll have to get back n to you on that old lady. First how about my real prize, A first class ticket to Tokyo dome"

Sora's eye began to twitch hearing that. After all of this he wanted to ditch to see a bunch of guys most likely weaker than him fight? Seriously!

"You still remember that?" Asked Boton stunned

"Well of course! You think all this was community service?" Demanded Yusuke

"Sorry Yusuke, but you're not allowed to go. The entire purpose of that tournament was to choose my student. Do you really think that after all that mess I'd really let you have a choice about it?" Demanded Genki

"But, my ticket" Yusuke asked in stunned disbelief.

"Yes, you'll need to have someone go in your place" Genki said dismissively

"But, the battle match" Yusuke said before fainting

Genki sighed. "This is going to be a long six months."

"You have no idea" Said Sora thinking of Yusuke's slacker attitude.

"Don't think you'll get out of training either. You may but be my student but I did adopt you. You're going to be training your butt off as well. Get some rest tonight. You're in for six moths of hell." Genki said before walking off to pick up the cup of tea she had been drinking before kept warm by Sora's warming charm.

Sora couldn't help the feeling that his new guardian was more of a sadist than Rando.

* * *

><p>~End of Chapter~<p>

I hope you guys enjoyed this rather long and tedious to write chapter!

Now for the Million Dollar question I wanted to ask you my wonderful Readers…

Should Sora replace Genki on the Dark Tournament team

Or

Should he just so as the team medic?

Genki will still be going to the tourney no worries about that but I need feed back kiddies!

Sora will be an elemental power demon, who's power will be water. Due to his adaptability


	5. NEWS

Dear loyal readers,

I wish to apologize for not updating my stories for the past several months or in some cases year. Due to a mixture of the chaos that is life and a series of bad writing ideas I chose to stop to get my cluttered mind in order so as to give you the best my imagination can offer.

The following stories will all be updated this month:

**Monster**

**Oracle **

**Meow**

The following story will be partially rewritten:

**Sweet Misery**

This stories time line is going to be changed to just past the Yukina mark as I am not as comfortable with the first season of Yu Yu Hakusho as I am the second season.

The Following story will be put on Hiatus

**Hariel of the Resistance **

**While I do love this story as it was my first ever WIP and crossover my writing style has slowly but surely evolved leaving me unsure as to how to proceed with this story. I may put it up for adoption, discontinue it, or scrap it entirely as I feel my writing style can no longer up hold the funny yet slightly dark nature of this fiction.**

**Thank you all very much for your patience, kind words, encouragement and of course for loving my stories. **

**Wishing you all the best,**

**~Ireadtomuch~**


End file.
